Roque: Sara, Bongbong, Bong Go, Isko, Pacquiao among choices for Duterte successor

Davao city mayor Sara Duterte and Senator Bong Go, are among political names President Rodrigo Duterte is considering for his successor, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the President has options for his successor even though he maintained that the Chief Executive is still not in favor of his daughter running for President in 2022.

“Wala pa po siyang desisyon (He is yet to decide but there are options) as to who might run: Mayor Sara, Senator Manny Pacquiao, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, Jr., and even Manila Mayor Isko Moreno,” Roque said.

“‘Yan ang mga naririnig ko, including Senator Bong Go” (Those are the names that I heard), Roque added.

Pacquiao is the President of the ruling PDP-Laban party chaired by Duterte, while Marcos, Jr. met with mayor Sara in Davao city this week.

Moreno is not a member of PDP-Laban, while Go is a PDP-Laban member as well, and a long-time aide and companion of the President.

House Ways and Means panel chair and PDP-Laban stalwart Joey Salceda earlier said he is sure that mayor Sara will run for president in 2022 and that, at least, five political parties are willing to support her.

But Roque denied having such information.

“Ang alam ko po wala pa siyang desisyon and wala pa rin siyang pronouncement [All I know is she neither has a decision nor a pronouncement yet],” Roque said.

Salceda, meanwhile, believes a tandem between Sara and her father would not be a "reasonable prospect" in 2022.

"It is more reasonable that there will be a Duterte and somebody else team," Salceda said in a virtual interview. "I don't see [a] Duterte-Duterte tandem in 2022."

The PDP-Laban national council has adopted a resolution urging Duterte to run for vice president in the coming elections. The resolution also gave him the power to choose his running mate for president.

The Palace had said Duterte will run for as vice president if he receives a message from God. —LBG/KBK, GMA News